Coping
by UberNerd121
Summary: With chronic nightmares, Nos-4-a2 feels like he's living a dream.


Two woke up feeling completely, utterly buried. The start-up chime from her speakers came out muffled, her eyeforms opened to darkness. She was face-down and smothered from every side by Nos-4-a2's metal.

She could tell he was awake even before she fully came to her senses.

"Nos?" she grumbled, her speakers deadened by the mattress. He shifted off her a bit, keeping his arms locked around her and his head nuzzled against the top of hers. A sluggish, heavy wavelength rolled off of him and clogged Two's sensors. More than anything it felt like home, an essential and comfortable presence, but something about it prickled in the back of her mind. An undertone, a vague whisper, something ever so slightly out of place. When a cuddling mood struck Nos in the morning, his signature was blissful, slow, drowsy. Something about him now felt... _alert._ His contact was almost needy, just a hint too rejoicing ‒ relieved? ‒ to have her in his arms for a run-of-the-mill Sunday morning. Two turned her head, only succeeding in pressing her visor into his neck. Slightly better than being blinded by pillows.

"What's going on?" she mumbled. Nos thought for a moment then shook his head, moving around her. His upper arms squeezed her and he shifted again so he could kiss the top of her head, his textured palms following the well-travelled paths up and down her back. Two's eyeforms fluttered closed. He pressed languid kisses over her temples, rubbing his thumbs over her wing ports and down the dips in her sides that her arms fit into. She sighed into his metal and laced her arms through his to hug him. He seemed all too pleased by her reaction, almost purring in satisfaction, drawing in closer around her again.

"Seriously, what's up?"

Nos-4-a2 buried his face between the pillows and her head and finally spoke. "Nothing, my darling, I'm just happy to see you."

"I'm happy to see you too, but... we saw each other last night? And all day yesterday? And almost every day before that for decades now?"

"...Yes," he whispered, almost as a revelation, "Yes, that's right. I dreamt of you."

Two waited. When he didn't continue, she asked, "Did you fall out of bed and knock something loose?"

He laughed. "No. I'm just happy. In fact," his voice rumbled, "if you're in the mood," he traced circles on her back, "may I treat you?"

"Treat me?" Two hummed, the words almost slurred. _Damn_ if his talons weren't dexterous.

"Mmmhmm," Nos purred. His right hand circled to her chest, fingering the seam around the cover of her data port. He licked his lips and the tip of his forked tongue flicked against the side of her head with a crackle of static.

" _Oh,_ " Two sighed. Ordinarily, she would try to find out what was really going on, but his lips were moving with purpose and there was no wavelength more intoxicating than his arousal. After all, this was his suggestion... it couldn't hurt, could it?

Two lifted her hands to the back of his head, lacing her fingers together and wordlessly opening the doors to her containment chamber as an indication of her consent. While Nos's kisses trailed lower, he avoided her data port and kept his hands outside her chest. He looked at her for the first time then ‒ his optics were particularly piercing, too serious for an easy spot of fooling around on a morning with no plans. For a moment, they held each other's gaze, but Nos faltered before long and went back to kissing her collar.

"...Nos-4-a2, what's wrong?"

"You don't need to keep asking. I promise everything is fine, my love," he spoke against her metal, "I'm just waiting for your go-ahead."

Her eyeforms narrowed. It hardly needed to be said when he could read her plain as day. Still, who was she to fault him for being considerate? He always waited, even if she had been the one to initiate it, but the seriousness in his expression remained out of place.

Regardless, it would be useless to press the issue. If something really bothered him, her only hope was that he'd bring it up on his own. Time had proven that badgering him rarely yielded answers. She'd give in for now.

"By all means, hon, go wild."

Nos huffed, rolling his optic. "I've always loved your pillow talk."

He left her collar with a soft nip and trailed kisses down to her data port. He let out a breath against her ‒ _into_ her ‒ that sent a tremor through her wires. His lips teased, grazed over the opening, and his left hand slid into her containment chamber, pressing against her walls. Two cooed and hugged the back of his head ‒ it was something she'd done countless times before in an attempt to bring him closer. She expected him to hold it in place. It was one of their most familiar games, especially in times like these when they chased fun over passion. He liked making her work, adored hearing her ask for what she wanted, but now his head dipped with no resistance. She gasped as his lips melted into her, his tongue swirling over her port in a way that made her entire body go lax.

" _Nos_ ," his name escaped her. She pressed the base of her visor to his forehead, letting her eyeforms fall closed. His tongue lapped over the exposed outlet while his fingers traced her inner seams, putting pressure against the places he knew held the most artificial nerves. The tip of his tongue, split into two rigid tips, dipped into her to make contact with the inside of her port and discharge electricity. The jolts of sensation made her gasp and grip his back. She angled her body into him, letting out a low, encouraging groan.

Two didn't last long without his usual teasing. Nos continued the same easy motions with just enough variety for a short build up, and her climax rolled through her in a few tense waves. She relaxed, unfurling with a luxurious sigh.

She was about to tease him, tell him there wasn't any rush, but... he hadn't stopped kissing her. His lips moved away from her port, pressing carefully over her chest as if he intended to cover every inch of her. Head clearing in the afterglow, Two couldn't help but notice the strange undertone of his wavelength just as strong as it had been before.

Her hand moved to the side of his face. Nos slowed to a stop, looked up at her again, and nuzzled into her touch. Reaching out with her senses, Two focused on feeling in earnest, knowing that if he still didn't budge she could at least say that she'd tried. The lid on his expressive optic dropped as she sensed something within him give way. He looked tired. The level of communication they shared as a pair of Energy Vampires could render language unnecessary if they used it without limitations, and at this point, the only reason they spoke at all was so they could have privacy in their own minds. Still, Nos-4-a2's emotions had always been close to the surface ‒ his skills laid more in reading than concealing. Two pet his cheek and he closed his optic, nestling his forehead against the side of her head.

"...Would it be alright if... er... we just cuddled?"

"Of course," she murmured.

"Didn't mean to worry you," he mumbled, "But I can't seem to feel a smidge of hurt without riling you up. My dreams were vivid and... unsavory. That's all."

Two closed the doors over her containment chamber and stroked the back of his neck. He said he'd dreamt about her. "Well, I'm here for whatever you need, you big softy. Especially if more treats are involved ‒ I could give you a refresher course if you want."

He grumbled, but she could feel his smile. "Maybe later. Thank you, love."

"Any time."


End file.
